As the season winds down, J.D. Martinez has an uncertain future
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Over the last five years, J.D. Martinez has been a staple in the Red Sox lineup. In that span, the veteran slugger has been at the center of Boston’s success and hit 125 home runs in 619 games. While his impact can’t be denied, his days in Boston may be numbered. As the Miami native prepares for free agency, he is having a down year.
In 121 games, he has hit 11 home runs and posted a .274 batting average. Martinez has struggled to come through or deliver clutch hits with runners in scoring position with consistency. If the season were to end today, the Nova Southeastern University product would rank fifth on the Red Sox in home runs and RBI.
Additionally, Martinez has only hit above .278 in a month once this season. Martinez has looked better at the plate in September, but he is still making critical mistakes. On Wednesday night, the Red Sox appeared to be mounting a rally with the bases loaded. Martinez stepped to the plate with one out. The former 611th overall pick grounded out too short and beat the throw at first. The one issue, Martinez never stepped on the bag.
After the play was reviewed, Martinez was called out, and the rally was extinguished. It was a result that summed up the season so far for Boston. While the 2022 campaign has been full of ups and downs, Martinez's impact in Boston during his tenure should not be overlooked.
In 620 games with the Red Sox, the Miami native has posted a .292 batting average and recorded 265 extra-base hits. In that span the Boston has won one championship, and Martinez has been an All-Star four times. The Red Sox couldn’t have asked for much more production-wise.
Furthermore, Martinez has embraced the city and been a perfect fit in the middle of the Red Sox lineup. He has three seasons with more than 95 RBI, including a league-leading 130 in 2018. Martinez could have opted out of his deal multiple times, but when faced with the opportunity to leave Boston, he decided to stay.
While Martinez’s value is at the lowest it has been in recent memory; he still should draw plenty of interest in free agency. He is hitting .272 entering play on Friday and has three multi-hit games this month. That should at least provide some interest in teams in need of a veteran bat looking to rebuild his value.
As the season winds down, the door is not entirely closed on Martinez returning. He has made it clear that he would not mind staying in Boston. The Red Sox could offer him the qualifying offer and hope he returns to his previous form. Regardless of what transpires over the next few months, Martinez should not have difficulty finding a team interested in his services.
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